Exploring ethical leadership in local government: a case study of Matjhabeng Local Municipality.

Abstract

Ethical leadership is a requirement for the effective managing of municipalities in South Africa to ensure that leaders and managers in municipalities are accountable for the resources that are allocated to them. They are also held accountable for service delivery in the communities where they are located. This study was conducted to explore ethical leadership at Matjhabeng Local Municipality. The literature shows that ethical leadership has applicable principles and the leaders at Matjhabeng Local Municipality are expected to behave in a manner that they take ethical decisions and demonstrate work ethics. The purpose of the study was to explore ethical leadership at Matjhabeng Local Municipality following different findings by the Auditor General and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. The aim of the study was to examine the role of ethical leadership in the Matjhabeng Local Municipality. The objectives of the study were to determine the importance of ethical leadership at Matjhabeng Local Municipality, identify factors preventing the Matjhabeng Local Municipality from practicing ethical leadership, determine the roles of ethical leadership in promoting and modelling ethical leadership and establish how ethical leadership could be enhanced at Matjhabeng Local Municipality. This study was a qualitative study with purposive sampling used and in-depth semi-structured interviews amongst 15 leaders and managers at the Matjhabeng Local Municipality applied. The data was analysed and, in the process, using thematic analysis. The key findings of the study pointed to a perception of lack of ethical leadership at Matjhabeng Local Municipality. This was also coupled with the internal control weaknesses due to perceptions of lack of ethical leadership. The recommendation is that Matjhabeng Local Municipality should ensure that systems, procedures and processes are in place to ensure ethical leadership.